[Enclosure]
Navigation in the North Sea and English
Channel
It is requested that shipowners on receiving these instructions will
use their utmost endeavour to communicate them as confidentially as
possible to the masters of their vessels, impressing upon them the
necessity for preventing the information from reaching the enemy.
These instructions should not be allowed to come into the hands of
any persons who are not directly affected by them.
The previous notice on navigation in the North Sea (dated the 14th
October, 1914) is cancelled.
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a. general instructions
1. local naval or military authorities may, at any time when they
consider it necessary, close a port during certain hours without
previous warning.
2. Attention is called to the notice on the inside cover of all Admiralty Sailing Directions and their
supplements, and to the following Admiralty
Notices to Mariners of 1914:
- No. 1 of 1st January.
- No. 1528 of 14th September, Thames Approaches.
- No. 1690 of 28th October, River Thames.
- No. 1706 of 3d November, Mined Areas.
- No. 1727 of 7th November, River Mersey.
- No. 1730 of 10th November, Orkney Islands.
- No. 1752 of 16th November, East Coast Ports.
In the Notice to Mariners, No. 1752 of 16th
November, the position of the pilotage station for the River Humber
to be established by the 27th November should read “7 miles ESE.
(magnetic) from Spurn Point.”
3. All lights may be extinguished and other aids to navigation
removed or altered at any time without previous warning.
b. mines
4. So far as is known at present there are, in addition to the
minefields mentioned in Admiralty Notice to
Mariners, No. 1752 of 1914, the following principal mined
areas:
- (a)
- Off the Tyne.
- (b)
- Off Flamborough Head.
- (c)
- Off Southwold (southern limit 51° 54’ N.)
- (d)
- British minefield within latitude 51° 15’ N. and 51° 40’
N., longitude 1° 35’ E. and 3° E.
c. special information as to english channel
and downs
5. On and after the 10th December lights, buoys, and fog signals in
the English Channel and the Downs eastward of a line joining Selsey
Bill and Cape Barfleur and south of the parallel 51° 20’ N., will be
liable to extinction or alteration without further notice.
Trinity House pilot stations will be established as follows by the
10th December:
St. Helens, Isle of Wight: Where ships proceeding up Channel can
obtain pilots capable of piloting as far as Great Yarmouth.
Great Yarmouth: Where ships from the North Sea bound for the English
Channel or intermediate ports can obtain pilots capable of piloting
as far as the Isle of Wight.
Dover: Where ships from French Channel ports, but no other, can
obtain pilots for the North Sea.
The Sunk Light Vessel: Where ships crossing the North Sea between the
parallels 51° 40’ N. and 51° 54’ N., but no others, can obtain
pilots for the English Channel. Pilots also can be obtained at
London for the Channel and the North Sea.
6. Both before and after the above date (10th December, 1914) all
vessels entering the North Sea from the Channel, or vice versa, must pass through the Downs,
where they will be given directions as to their route.
d. passages—general
7. On and after 10th December, 1914, vessels proceeding up or down
Channel eastward of the Isle of Wight are very strongly advised to
take pilots, as navigation will be exceedingly dangerous without
their aid (see paragraph 5).
8. Vessels proceeding up or down the east coast should keep within 3
miles of the coast when consistent with safe navigation. The only
exception to this is when passing the mouth of the Tyne. Here all
vessels should pass not less than 4 miles but not more than 8 miles
from the coast between Sunderland and Blyth. Vessels bound to the
Tyne must take a pilot off one of the above ports, as stated in Admiralty Notice to Mariners, No. 1752 of
1914.
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e. particular, passages
(Note: In each case return voyages should
be made on same routes.)
9. East coast ports to French ports: See paragraphs 5, 6, and 8.
10. East coast ports to Dutch ports: Proceed as directed in
paragraphs 5 and 8. Leave the English coast between the parallels of
51° 40’ N. and 51° 54’ N.; proceed between those parallels as far as
longitude 3° E., shape course thence to destination. Vessels using
this route (which passes between the British and German mine fields)
must clearly understand that they do so entirely at their own risk.
11. East coast ports to Scandinavian or Danish ports: Proceed as
directed in paragraphs 5 and 8 as far as Farn Island; then steer for
the vicinity of Lindesnæs, and thence to destination, keeping in
territorial waters.
12. From Atlantic and Irish ports or ports on the south or west
coasts of Great Britain to Scandinavian or Danish ports: Proceed via
English Channel, being guided by paragraphs 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11.
13. Sailing vessels bound to Scandinavian or Danish ports: Pass to
westward of Ireland and of St. Kilda. Then make the Faroe Islands,
and proceed from thence to destination, keeping 50 miles to the
north of the Shetland Islands.
14. All vessels bound from east coast ports to west coast ports in
the United Kingdom, and vice versa, must pass
through the English Channel, and not round the north of
Scotland.
Admiralty War Staff,
Trade Division,
30th November,
1914.
